Game On!

EA SPORTS NHL SEASON SIMULATION PREDICTS PENGUINS WILL REPEAT AS STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONS IN 2010

2009-10-02T13:17:38Z

A simulation run by EA SPORTS™ NHL® 10 predicts that cover boy Patrick Kane will fall just short of claiming the Stanley Cup as the Pittsburgh Penguins repeat as Cup champions. Led by an outstanding performance by Conn Smythe Winner, Marc-Andre Fleury, the Penguins were able to withstand a relentless offensive assault by the young Chicago forwards. Hart Memorial Trophy winner Sidney Crosby and the Penguins take home the Stanley Cup for the second time in as many years with a 4 games to 2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks.

Despite being considered one of the top teams in the league, the Detroit Red Wings barely made the playoffs, and were eliminated in a quick five games by the Chicago Blackhawks. Chicago established that they are a team to watch by finishing first in the West on their road to the Stanley Cup Finals. Other notable teams in the simulation included the Carolina Hurricanes, who finished with the most points in the league and walked away with the President’s Trophy; the Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks, who were the only Canadian teams to make the playoffs; and the Florida Panthers, who made the playoffs for the first time in 10 years.

Several individual players also stood out in the NHL 10 simulation. The Penguins’ Sidney Crosby completes an injury-free season and captures the Hart Memorial trophy after posting 102 points during the regular season. The Chicago Blackhawks’ Patrick Kane has a breakout season and is one of the top ten point getters in the NHL. Anaheim’s Ryan Getzlaf takes the Art Ross trophy after leading the league with 107 points, while Ilya Kovalchuk walked away with the Maurice Richard trophy after leading the league with 57 goals, and NHL 09 cover boy, Dion Phaneuf caps a stellar year by leading the Calgary Flames to a NorthWest Division Championship and winning the Norris Trophy.

Final Regular Season Standings:

Western Conference

OTL

PTS

Chicago

110

San Jose

105

Calgary

Columbus

103

Los Angeles

Vancouver

Anaheim

Detroit

Nashville

St Louis

Phoenix

Edmonton

Minnesota

Dallas

Colorado

Eastern Conference

OTL

PTS

Carolina

113

Boston

106

Pittsburgh

101

New Jersey

Washington

New Rangers

Philadelphia

Florida

Tampa Bay

Montreal

Ottawa

Toronto

Buffalo

Atlanta

New York Islanders

]]> A simulation is conducted by artificial intelligence or logic of the videogame that uses real-life data from each player. Results are extrapolated by the videogame when two teams match up based on player ratings, line combinations, and include variances such as injuries and hot streaks to give a realistic outcome of a game or series.

Logitech Unveils Premium Music Game Controllers for Wii

2009-09-09T12:29:41Z

FREMONT, Calif. – Sept. 9, 2009 – Expanding its line of premium music game controllers to Guitar Hero® gamers on Wii™, Logitech (SIX: LOGN) (NASDAQ: LOGI) today introduced the Logitech® Wireless Guitar Controller for Wii™ and the Logitech® Wireless Drum Controller for Wii™. Licensed by Activision Publishing, Inc. (NASDAQ:ATVI), both controllers feature the high-quality materials that you’d expect to see in real guitars and drums, and are designed to let you take advantage of all the latest features of Guitar Hero games including Guitar Hero® 5 and the soon-to-be released Band Hero™.
“Logitech’s premium guitar and drum controllers have made it easier for Guitar Hero gamers to get into the music with even more realism,” said Ruben Mookerjee, Logitech’s director of product marketing for gaming. “Now if you love to rock out on Wii, you’ve got the gear to match your level of commitment to the game.”
Logitech Wireless Guitar Controller for Wii
The Logitech Wireless Guitar Controller for Wii features a maple neck, rosewood fingerboard and metal frets. So you’ll look good while you shred, the new Wireless Guitar Controller presents a dazzling white finish with a glossy-black pick guard on a one-piece contoured wood body.
The noise dampening design of the strum bar and fret buttons minimizes audio distraction, and lets you focus in on the music. The guitar controller also incorporates a touch-sensitive slider on the fret board (located on the neck) to help you rack up the points by tapping notes.
Logitech Wireless Drum Controller for Wii
The Logitech Wireless Drum Controller for Wii features three fully adjustable drum pads and two cymbal pads. Each piece can be positioned to fit your reach and suit your style – and the quiet and responsive drum pads deliver a lively feel that won’t distract you from the music.
For better gameplay, the Logitech Wireless Drum Controller uses a recessed-rim design that helps make it easier to score points and avoid accidental rim shots. The kick pedal uses a stainless steel surface and an adjustable spring – providing a highly durable, responsive drumming experience.
When you’re ready to play, the Logitech Wireless Drum Controller sets up quickly and folds flat in seconds. You can start playing within minutes of opening the box and when the show is over, the set can be easily stowed away.
Both the Guitar Controller and Drum Controller are licensed for Wii so setup is a cinch – your Wii Remote™ snaps into the controllers, and both products feature an analog stick for navigating menus.

]]> Pricing and Availability
The Logitech Wireless Guitar Controller for Wii and the Logitech Wireless Drum Controller for Wii are expected to be available in the U.S. and Europe in October for a retail price of $199.99 (U.S.) and $229.99 (U.S.) respectively.
About Logitech
Logitech is a world leader in personal peripherals, driving innovation in PC navigation, Internet communications, digital music, home-entertainment control, gaming and wireless devices. Founded in 1981, Logitech International is a Swiss public company listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (LOGN) and on the Nasdaq Global Select Market (LOGI).

Nintendo Makes It Easy for Wii Owners to Access the Internet

2009-09-02T13:59:33Z

REDMOND, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Nintendo is offering an easy way for Wii™ console owners to access the Internet without a computer. Effective immediately, people who want to browse the Internet using their Wii consoles will be able to do so at no added cost.

The Wii Menu houses a variety of informational and entertaining channels, such as the News Channel and Wii Shop Channel, that users can visit to enhance their Wii experience. Wii consoles that are linked to a broadband Internet connection have even greater access to additional content and channels. For example, the Nintendo® Channel is an interactive guide to what’s new in the world of Nintendo that lets consumers watch trailers, mini-documentaries, product demonstrations and game-play videos, while the Check Mii Out™ Channel allows users to show off their Mii™ creations and download Miis that others have created.

The Internet Channel, which can be downloaded from the Wii Shop Channel, allows Wii owners to browse the Internet on their televisions from the comfort of their couches. Users can check their e-mail, make purchases or travel plans, and surf their favorite Web pages by pointing and clicking with the Wii Remote™ controller.

“Wii has truly changed the way people play games, but it is more than just a game console,” said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. “Wii owners have access to a wealth of fun entertainment, information and practical tools like the Internet Channel, which is another great way for the whole family to enjoy their consoles with no additional costs involved.”

When Wii launched in November 2006, Nintendo initially offered the Internet Channel as a free download as a promotional incentive to get people online. Starting in July 2007, the Internet Channel could be downloaded in exchange for 500 Wii Points™. Effective immediately, the Internet Channel is again available for zero Wii Points, and it has been updated to support an upgraded version of Adobe® Flash® player.

Starting at the end of October, consumers who have previously exchanged 500 Wii Points to download the Internet Channel will be able to download, at no cost, one NES™ game of their choice valued at 500 Wii Points from Virtual Console™. Details of this download offer will be provided via the Wii Message Board and on Nintendo.com.

Remember that Wii features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other Wii features, visit Wii.com.

]]> For more information about the Internet Channel, visit www.nintendo.com/wii/channels/internetchannel.

About Nintendo: The worldwide pioneer in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Wii™, Nintendo DS™ and Nintendo DSi™ systems. Since 1983, when it launched the Nintendo Entertainment System™, Nintendo has sold more than 3.1 billion video games and more than 526 million hardware units globally, including the current-generation Wii, Nintendo DS and Nintendo DSi, as well as the Game Boy™, Game Boy Advance, Super NES™, Nintendo 64™ and Nintendo GameCube™ systems. It has also created industry icons that have become well-known, household names such as Mario™, Donkey Kong™, Metroid™, Zelda™ and Pokémon™. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo’s operations in the Western Hemisphere. For more information about Nintendo, visit the company’s Web site at www.Nintendo.com.

Guitar Hero Night at LBIF Rocks Out!

2009-08-22T13:57:07Z

Last night, August 21 2009, I hosted an awesome Guitar Hero competition at the Long Beach Island Foundation. Not only did I have a fantastic time, but so did about 50 kids between the ages of 8 and 15. Many, many parents came up to me afterwards to say that this was a great, fun event and we should run more of them. Everyone was also very impressed with Activision's generosity as a corporate sponsor.

The event itself got off to a roaring start at 8pm when several vans full of little tan kids pulled up. We had 4 stations set up around the room. Three were for practice and one was for competition. Of the three for practice, one was Guitar Hero World Tour, one was Guitar Hero Metallica, and one was Guitar Hero Smash Hits. Then, we did the greatest thing ever, which was to set up some small amps and a projector which gave the appearance that the Guitar Hero band was up on the stage.

]]> Some of the kids had come as entire bands, but others came as singles or doubles. We had everyone rotate around and make new friends.

At the end, we ran a single elimination tournament where each band got to pick their own song and play up on the stage. We compared points and the top 3 bands won the game of their choice. There were two bands that totally rocked, especially the last one with some kid who must be the next Jimi Hendrix and nailed every note on expert. The most popular songs were "Livin' on a Prayer", "Eye of the Tiger", and "Beat It".

As we were cleaning up after the event (you know that it's a good event when you have to ask the kids to leave because they want to keep playing), we decided that we should do this more often. We can actually do this regularly now that I own 4 Xbox's (I had to buy them when Microsoft dropped out as a sponsor, more on that later). The parents and the kids loved it. It was good clean fun. Kids met new kids, parents met new parents, and I loved it because it was a video game that brought us all together.

I owe Activision a debt of gratitude - they really came through for us. They provided twice as many full Guitar Hero World Tour kits than we asked for and a box literally filled with games for us to give out as prizes. This is in stark contrast to Microsoft and MTV. MTV promised that they would donate Rock Band kits and then at the last minute told me that they couldn't afford it. Microsoft was much worse. After agreeing to help me in March, they then strung me along for a few weeks in August and then just flat out stopped answering me. I can understand not putting their money where their mouths are, but to avoid giving me a definitive answer not only did a disservice to the children but threatened to ruin the entire event. It seems to me that Activision has a better attitude about helping out communities. Either way, there are about 20 families on LBI who had a great time on Friday night.

LBIF Wii Family Game Night

2009-08-01T17:00:04Z

Last night, July 31, 2009, I hosted the first ever Wii Family Game Night at the Long Beach Island Foundation. It was, as far as I could tell, a success. There were about 25 people there, mostly kids, parents, and even a few teens. We played Wii Sports, Wii Fit, Punch Out, and Super Mario Tennis.

I wasn't sure if it was a success, but when one mother was leaving she said to me "This was great. My son has been asking me for a Wii for a long time, but I didn't know what it was. I'm so busy that if I can't learn about something right away I don't have time to. Now I know all about the Wii and how to set it up. The best part is that I learned I can play with it too!"

The event was sponsored by Golin Harris, Nintendo, and Sarrel Group.

]]> This was the first gaming event that I ran on behalf of Sarrel Group and I'm looking forward to more. In fact, we have a Rock Band night coming up on August 21, 2009. It's going to be awesome because we'll have a battle of the bands up on the stage and patch into the PA.

I spoke very briefly at the event about how video games are for the whole family now. They're being designed for everyone to play together. It's not just something for the kids to do when you don't want to pay attention to them anymore. Then I explained how to set up the Wii and configure parental controls. I also showed how to use the parental controls to limit your child's potential exposure to online threats.

There's also a little history about me and the Foundation. When I was but a wee lad, a tadpole so to speak, I spent a lot of my summers at the Foundation. I took a variety of classes - Marine Biology was my favorite. It's actually a great place for kids and adults to have something to do during the summer. There's a sculpture and clay studio and they have a lot of cooking classes.

This is what the room looked like after we set it up and before guests arrived. Notice the lovely juxtaposition of tech and art.

Shaun White Snowboarding

2009-07-30T01:14:15Z

More to come later.

]]> I shot about 20 minutes of video of Shaun and I talking about games and snowboarding. I have to edit it down because no one would want to see every second of that. Plus there's some embargoed stuff that I can't mention until September. I'll post it after I edit it.

Tony Hawk Ride

2009-07-19T22:01:37Z

Last week I got the chance to head up to midtown and play Tony Hawk Ride with no other than the man himself, Tony Hawk. It was fantastic and I really enjoyed meeting him. Unfortunately the only camera I had was the crappy one on my Blackberry.

The game itself is focused on establishing a fully interactive and immersive world. The most important thing is the new skateboard controller which was way cool. It is a solid deck made of rubberized plastic with two accelerometers and four infrared sensors. This way it knows which way you are leaning and how fast, plus whether you are reaching for any grabs or not. You don't actually have to touch the board to get a grab, just wave your hand through the infrared beam.

The game starts easy where it really just teaches you how to ride. Then you learn tricks and build speed. This is much more like the earlier versions of Tony Hawk. Not story based and really a series of new courses and tricks to be done. Each bit of game play is relatively short. The game was designed to be played in a group of friends and just like when you're skating, it's like "hey, check this out" then each person takes a turn.

]]> It was a lot of fun. I broke a sweat playing.

I talked to Tony for a while. He says that he's been very active in designing and working on the game. He gets the daily build and plays it at home and at the office. They've devoted a lot of time to getting the trick and falling animations right. In his own words, he's "been really hands on with it."

After I rode Tony rode. I noticed that he was a lot smoother and gentler than I was. He said that it's more about control than power.

The game is coming out this fall for PS3, Wii, and Xbox 360. It is only playable with the board so it will only be sold with the board. Not a bad thing at all, because I liked the board.

Pricing has not been announced.

R.E.M., STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN, DIXIE CHICKS AND MORE COME TO ROCK BAND UNPLUGGED

2009-07-09T16:15:02Z

Cambridge, Mass. – July 09, 2009 - Harmonix and MTV Games today announced five new tracks available for download in the Rock Band Unplugged in-game music store for the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system. These additions bring the current total number of songs available in the Rock Band Unplugged music store to 19.

This latest update brings another wide variety of musical genres to the game, including country music trio The Dixie Chicks, electric blues guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan and alternative rock groups R.E.M. and The Pixies.

Rock Band Unplugged features the first in-game store for downloadable content on the PSP system in the North American and European markets, leveraging the PSP system’s wireless capabilities. The in-game store is powered by the PlayStation®Network. Players can simply sign in to the in-game music store using their existing PlayStation Network account to purchase and download new tracks straight on their PSP system. PSP system owners can also purchase tracks via the PlayStation®Store on their PC and then download them to their device.

Tracks:

Dixie Chicks “Sin Wagon”
GLaDOS and Jonathan Coulton "Still Alive" *
The Pixies "Here Comes Your Man"
R.E.M. “Losing My Religion”
Stevie Ray Vaughan “Pride and Joy”

(All tracks are original master recordings)

Price: $1.99 per track
* Denotes free track

Location: In-game Rock Band Unplugged music store.

Rock Band Unplugged is available for the PSP® (PlayStation® Portable) system.

Rock Band Unplugged is rated "T" for Teen (lyrics, suggestive themes) by the ESRB. The ESRB does not rate online downloads.
For more information on Rock Band Unplugged and Harmonix Music Systems, please visit www.rockband.com/games/unplugged and www.harmonixmusic.com.

NFC EAST TEAM AND PLAYER RATINGS REVEALED IN MADDEN NFL 10 SEASON PREVIEW

2009-07-07T13:28:55Z

July 3, 2009 – The summer is in full swing, and what better way to celebrate Independence Day than Madden NFL 10 team previews, featuring the NFC East. What teams will lead the pack? Which players are prepped for a breakout season? Will your team be a contender or pretender? See how your favorite team and players will fair – according to the Madden NFL 10 Season Preview.

We continue our look at each team’s overall rating and individual player ratings with a focus on the NFC East division. In addition to the player ratings, a wealth of team-specific assets will be made available, for both the Xbox 360, PLAYSTATION 3, and Wii versions of Madden NFL 10.

Everything culminates on August 3rd, where Madden NFL 10 will predict the 2009 NFL division winners, season MVP, and more.

To view the overall team ratings for the Eagles, Giants, Redskins and Cowboys, as well as download the complete team roster ratings, visit the official Madden NFL 10 website below:

· Madden NFL 10 Season Preview

]]> Madden NFL 10 will be available on the Xbox 360® video game system from Microsoft, PlayStation®2 and PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment systems, Wii™, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) handheld entertainment system and is rated E for Everyone by the ESRB.

For more information about Madden NFL 10, visit http://maddennfl.easports.com/.

Wii Crap

2009-07-07T13:04:33Z

Winston Salem Fitness has a posting on their blog about Wii Fit. . Overall, it's actually a very good review and criticism of Wii Fit from a fitness angle.

One thing that they touch on is an excellent explanation of why Wii Fit's use of BMI to tell you how healthy you are is just plain wrong:

It then moves on to perform the Body Test, which is more balance assessment, followed by the calculation of Body Mass Index (or BMI). BMI is a very flawed measure of one’s fitness, as it measures the ratio of one’s scale weight to one’s height. So, on the BMI scale, the following people are considered Overweight or Obese:

Alex Rodriguez of the new York Yankees – Tom Brady of the new England Patriots – Lance Armstrong of cycling fame – Arnold Schwarzenegger – Sylvester Stallone

See where I’m going with this? Scale weight does not account for the amount of lean body mass someone is carrying. That is why body fat percentage is the gold standard for measuring one’s fitness.

Also, measuring BMI on anyone under 19 is very inaccurate. This already has become an issue for Nintendo, as a 10-year old athletic British girl was assessed as being Fat by the game. Obesity experts jumped on Nintendo immediately, rightfully stating that the game could cause irreparable harm to a child’s body image. Nintendo has since added a disclaimer that the BMI feature is meant for adults only, but hasn’t taken the step of deactivating it in the game for child users.

I wholeheartedly agree with this criticism. You can add me to the above list. I'm 5'9" and weigh 190 lbs. Therefore, using BMI, I'm obese. Yet, I run and lift weights 3x a week. Calling a 39 year old who can bench press 300 lbs obese is just plain wrong.

]]> But then the posting goes on to state that:

Overall, I give Nintendo credit for trying to make a game that tries to get people to be more active, which is more than can be said for other video game manufacturers. However, this will not do anything in terms of chipping away at the American obesity problem. In fact, I’ll go out on a limb and say that the video game industry needs to follow the route of the tobacco and alcohol manufacturers, and state that excessive use of their product could lead to inactivity and obesity, rather than try to make a half-hearted effort at increasing American activity levels.

Which is, quite frankly, a load of crap. One of the worst loads of crap I've ever seen, and we have a puppy so I've seen a lot of crap.

If we follow this logic, then everything should have an obesity warning. The chair I'm sitting on is contributing to my obesity. I could be burning calories by standing. Our cars should have obesity warnings because if we walked everywhere we would weigh less. In fact, this blog and the computer in general should have obesity warnings because I'm sitting here reading them and not working out.

It's sort of sad that an informative Wii Fit review would be marred by such an uninformed opinion at the end. But that's the story, morning glory. Can a game reviewer comment on the fitness aspects any better than a fitness reviewer could comment on the gaming aspects?

Really, the answer lies in how parents raise their children. I've been saying this for over 10 years. Blaming the game for your child's behavior is a horrid cop out. A parent needs to explain the value of exercise to the child. A parent needs to be able to pay attention to the child and, surprise, raise the child with care.

Nintendo Download

2009-07-06T12:15:31Z

Another year of American independence isn’t the only thing we’re celebrating this week. With new releases, including the hotly anticipated game BIT.TRIP CORE, Nintendo crosses the 100-game mark in its ever-growing WiiWare™ game library, a milestone that ought to keep fans ooh-ing and ahh-ing long after the Fourth of July. Other WiiWare offerings this week will have players bursting bubbles and racing in chariots, whether solo or with friends. Nintendo DSiWare™ welcomes a new Art Style™ title and a unique auto racing game, while a classic Commodore 64 title will have Virtual Console™ users tearing it up California style.

WiiWare

BIT.TRIP CORE
Publisher: Aksys Games
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 600 Wii Points™
Description: BIT.TRIP CORE continues the BIT.TRIP saga in this retro-arcade-style game. BIT.TRIP CORE adds up to an exciting action/rhythm game that’s best played while zoning out on the tunes and letting the visuals swallow you whole. The experience is inspired by games from the ’80s, but with a modern twist. The game play is entirely new to the series, leaving the single-axis controls of BIT.TRIP BEAT behind in favor of the ability to control two axes. If the difficulty gets you down, grab a friend and play cooperatively with two-player multiplayer. Make it to the end and you’ll have journeyed one step further to completing your BIT.TRIP.

BUST-A-MOVE Plus!
Publisher: TAITO
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 600 Wii Points
Description: BUST-A-MOVE Plus! is a simple but hugely addictive puzzle game in which you must try to burst a multi-colored mass of bubbles with your very own bubble launcher. Every time you make a group of three or more bubbles of the same color, they pop. There are two game modes available: 1P Puzzle (players tackle the game’s 135 stages in pursuit of a new high score or best time) and Battle (players take on friends or computer-controlled opponents). If that doesn’t satisfy your passion for popping, there are a total of 270 extra stages waiting for you in the two add-on-content packs, available for purchase on the Wii™ Shop Channel. BUST-A-MOVE Plus! is simple to get into and deep enough to keep you coming back for more.

Heracles Chariot Racing
Publisher: Neko Entertainment
Players: 1-4
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Comic Mischief
Price: 800 Wii Points
Description: The famous Heracles has taken on a challenge like none he has ever faced. Our hero will have to beat his opponents in a race across mythological kingdoms and be the first to reach the top of Mount Olympus. You can play as Heracles and help him return the sacred trophy, or play as one of the other varied mythological characters from Satyr to Poseidon and claim the prize for yourself. Race through three racing cups across 10 courses set in five mythic landscapes. Use awesome fantasy weaponry to defeat your opponents: tridents, fireballs, Zeus’s lightning rods and more. Get your friends together for intense two-to-four-player split-screen multiplayer action in Championship, Single Race or Battle mode.

Virtual Console

California Games
Original platform: Commodore 64
Publisher: Commodore Gaming
Players: 1-5
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: Welcome to California, home of the most radical sports in the world. You’re about to hit the beaches, parks and streets of the Golden State to go for trophies in everything from surfing to bike racing. California Games gives you the hottest sports and the most aggro competition. You even have to pick your own sponsor. So pull on those kneepads – you’re about to get into the most fun you’ve had since Mom hid your skateboard. California Games is going to take you from surf to the turf, from the pipe to the parks.

Nintendo DSiWare

Art Style: BASE 10™
Publisher: Nintendo
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points™
Description: Art Style: BASE 10 is a game of numbers. Your goal is simple: create combinations equaling 10 by sliding numbers around the playing field. Move them horizontally or vertically, but be careful not to create an unusable non-number in the process. Choose from one of three modes: eliminate a set amount of numbers as quickly as possible in ZEROSUM MODE; get rid of prearranged groups of numbers in as few moves as possible in PUZZLE MODE; or continue removing numbers until your game is over in INFINITE MODE. In addition, you can challenge an opponent to a two-player wireless battle in VS MODE and see whose number-crunching skills reign supreme. If you think you’re a master with numbers, the straightforward yet challenging world of Art Style: BASE 10 gives you the opportunity to prove it in a unique way.

Asphalt 4: Elite Racing
Publisher: Gameloft
Players: 1-4
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) – Mild Violence
Price: 800 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: For the racing elite, the world is their racetrack. Choose among 28 dream cars and motorcycles from the world’s most prestigious manufacturers. Then race your way through eight of the most renowned cities, fully rendered in 3-D. Control your speed machine with either standard or touch-screen controls for precision driving. Photos taken with the Nintendo DSi™ Camera can be used as your personal icon or can appear throughout the various environments, including the garage where you can customize and tune your vehicles. From New York to Shanghai, Paris to Dubai, you’ll weave a course through busy streets in six kinds of races plus four-player Multiplayer mode. Avoid police, demolish competitors and pass the leader to win. You’ll need to floor it at every straightaway and push every drift to the limit to stay one step ahead and become the ultimate VIP of urban racing.

Nintendo adds new titles to the Nintendo DSi Shop™ and the Wii Shop Channel at 9 a.m. Pacific time on Mondays. Users with broadband Internet access can redeem Wii Points or Nintendo DSi Points to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel. Nintendo DSi Points can be purchased in the Nintendo DSi Shop. A Nintendo Points Card™ can be purchased at retail locations. All points from one Nintendo Points Card must be redeemed in either the Nintendo DSi Shop or the Wii Shop Channel. They are not transferable and cannot be divided between the two systems.

Remember that both Wii and Nintendo DSi feature parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other features, visit Wii.com or NintendoDSi.com.

PROTOTYPE

2009-07-03T15:17:21Z

Developer: Radical Entertainment
Publisher: Activision
Platforms: PS3 (reviewed), Xbox 360, PC
MSRP: $59.99 for PS3 and Xbox 360 versions, $49.99 for PC
ESRB: M
http://www.prototypegame.com

PROTOTYPE is the story of Alex Mercer, the survivor of an evil military experiment that has left him genetically mutated, without memory, and hunted. And, with shape-shifting abilities that allow him to use some pretty sick weapons and disguises, also the hunter. This free-roaming romp through a diseased NYC can be both extremely fun and frustrating at times.

This is a big open world game and as a New Yorker I really enjoy playing open world games that take place in something resembling NYC. Yes, Radical did a great job capturing the gritty look and feel of NYC. There are buildings with scaffolds and gridlocked intersections. There are the popular landmarks such as Madison Square Garden, Washington Square Park, Central Park, and Times Square. Yet in all the accurate look and feel, the map and the actual buildings are merely representative and not accurate. My apartment, a floor in a West Village townhouse, is somehow a massive skyscraper. So they win some points here and it is cool to think about going on a rampage in NYC, but it ain’t NYC.

The story is very deep and told through a series of different mechanisms such as flashbacks and flashforwards. One aspect of Alex’s powers is the ability to consume a person – including their memory, clothes, and weapons. As you consume each person you get a video flashback sequence which backfills the story from their point of view. It’s a very interesting mechanism, yet it is extremely disruptive to be in the middle of a massive battle that gets interrupted by a flashback and then you are shoved right back into the action. Yes, you can skip the video, but it is still disruptive.

My major gripe with the game, which overall I have really enjoyed, is that for the first hour or so it is pretty damn boring. Honestly, I almost gave up but am glad I stuck with it. In fact, my first reaction was “OK, Activision blended Spiderman with Wolverine. Great. Been there. Done that. Next.” But for some reason the next day I went back to it. In starting you off slow, Radical runs the risk of losing your interest. After a few hours though, you can upgrade your characters weapons, powers, and movement and really start to kick some ass which is where it gets fun.

]]>

Prototype is a game of massive destruction. Your weapons are actually mutations that are growing on you. You can have sharp claws, a long chain, a blade, or a massive fist. Each weapon has a normal attack, a special attack, and a grapple – plus a bunch of combos. I prefer the long chain. In addition, it is trivially easy to hijack tanks and helicopters. One of my favorite things is to hijack a tank, infiltrate a military base, and then spin around in circles firing the cannon and leveling everything in sight. In Prototype, you are indeed a one man wrecking crew. By combining weapons, powers, and armor, there really is nothing you can’t destroy except the actual buildings themselves.

A major aspect of the game is free roaming through NYC. Not only can you free roam during the game by simply not accepting your next mission right away, but you can play in pure free roam mode which I find quickly degenerates into an all out battle between me and everyone else in NYC (ah, just like real life). You accomplish this in a number of ways such as jumping, running up and along buildings, and gliding. After a few upgrades, you can literally get from Battery Park to Central Park in a minute (that is if you don’t stop to kill anything). And the running and jumping from rooftop to rooftop is very fun in and of itself. In addition, there are lots of side quests like races, battles, fetches, which earn you extra EP so you can buy more upgrades.

The game looks great and sounds great. It’s one of the first games in Dolby 7.1. My mark for realistic sound is if the cat gets spooked by some background noise and that has happened a few times in Prototype. The soundtrack is pretty good and it is fairly subtle, unlike other games where you have to turn down the soundtrack just to hear the action.

So, to wrap this up, Prototype is a very good game bordering on excellent, but it falls just short. It is a little tedious in the beginning, then there is this golden period where it is pure fun, but then in the end you’re so powerful that battles become monotonous. That said, I’m having a hell of a lot of fun trashing NYC!

Madden NFL 10 Video Documentary Series Details All-New Online Franchise

2009-07-02T13:05:15Z

June 30, 2009 – The culmination of all things Madden NFL has arrived with Online Franchise in Madden NFL 10. The latest Madden NFL 10 Video Documentary series is now available, which includes details and perspectives on the all-new, award winning Online Franchise mode – direct from the development team.

Enjoy 32 team leagues, featuring anywhere from 1 to 32 human controlled teams, in Online Franchise mode that provides full team management, including trades, live drafts, depth chart changes, and more…and it’s all just one click away!

Online Franchise is the biggest feature to ever grace Madden NFL and it’s all manageable from your console, remotely through a web browser, or via a custom iPod Touch Application. Have full control of your team from anywhere you can log on. With new mobile updates and web connections, Online Franchise is available to you 24/7, and with immediate updates to your console, you’ll never miss a down.

Online Franchise revolutionizes gameplay in that it acts as a true NFL season with 32 teams and a full season, including playoffs and the Super Bowl.

Online Franchise is exclusive to the Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 versions of Madden NFL 10, which will be available in stores on August 14th.

For more information about Madden NFL 10, visit http://maddennfl.easports.com/

2K Sports Invites Fans to Play The BIGS 2 with the New York Mets at the Nintendo World Store on July 6

2009-07-02T13:03:02Z

July 1, 2009 – 2K Sports invites gamers and fans of The BIGS™ video game series to the Nintendo World Store in New York City on Monday, July 6 for The BIGS 2 Home Run Pinball tournament. Attendees will have the exciting opportunity to meet and get autographs from the New York Mets’ Mike Pelfrey and Alex Cora, who will help kick-off the tournament.

Eligible participants in the The BIGS 2 Home Run Pinball tournament will have the chance to win prizes such as a Wii™ system from Nintendo, an authentic Major League Baseball® jersey autographed by Prince Fielder of the Milwaukee Brewers, the cover athlete and spokesman for The BIGS 2, and a variety of other prizes. Attendees will also have the exclusive opportunity to purchase The BIGS 2 for Wii a full day before the game is released in retail stores. Registration for the tournament begins at 12:00 PM Eastern Time and registration slots will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Tournament play begins at 4:15 PM Eastern Time. All prospective tournament participants must be 10 or older, and participants 17 or younger must be accompanied by and have permission from a parent or guardian.

Date: Monday, July 6

Location: Nintendo World Store

10 Rockefeller Plaza
New York , NY 10020

(646) 459-0800

Schedule: 12:00–3:30 PM – Home Run Pinball Tournament registration

4:00 PM – Event introduction

4:10 PM – Mike Pelfrey and Alex Cora of the New York Mets to faceoff in The BIGS 2

4:15 PM – Tournament begins

6:00 PM – Tournament concludes

Coming to retail stores on July 7, 2009, the Big Leagues will get BIGGER with The BIGS 2. Rated E 10+ by the ESRB, The BIGS 2 will be available on all major video game platforms. The BIGS 2 has been elevated to new heights this season with amazing visual effects and a variety of new gameplay modes, including the fan-requested Season Mode and Become a Legend. With improved player animations and pick-up-and-play controls, The BIGS 2 will deliver an action-packed MLB® video game experience.

For more information on The BIGS 2, please visit www.2ksports.com/games/thebigs2.

FUEL™ GAMES FOR WINDOWS® EDITION NOW SHIPPING IN NORTH AMERICA

2009-07-01T13:49:37Z

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. – Tuesday, June 30, 2009 – The Games For Windows® edition of Asobo Studio’s epic racer FUEL™ is now shipping to stores in North America, Codemasters® announced today. To celebrate the launch, Codemasters has released a new video that showcases the diverse locations, beautiful scenery and freedom for up to 16 players to explore FUEL’s stunning game world. The video is available from www.fuel-game.com (in the Downloads section).

FUEL offers an astounding 5,560 square miles playground which is fully open to race and explore. Based on satellite data from the United States, wildly diverse terrain from the snow-capped Mount Rainier to the arid Grand Canyon and everything in between create an atmospheric, epic racing sandbox. With a 70+ strong vehicle line up, including bikes, buggies, quads, cars, roadsters, trucks and even a hovercraft, gamers experience unprecedented choice in choosing tactical routes on-the-fly, on or off-road. The wide vehicle roster is perfect for taking on hundreds of exhilarating arcade events, from large-scale raid challenges to tight circuit races, available in FUEL’s career mode.

Extensive multiplayer options allow up to 16 players to discover FUEL’s world in free ride or compete in thrilling head-to-head races. Gamers can also unleash their creativity by using the powerful yet intuitive race editor to create events set anywhere in FUEL’s environment and share them online.

FUEL is set to raise the bar for open-world racing when the Games For Windows® edition launches Tuesday, June 30. FUEL is also available for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft®. Fuel up by downloading the video at www.fuel-game.com.